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(N0 Model.)

W. D. SMITH. POINT PEOTEOTOE EOE FLEXIBLE EASTENING PINS.

Patented Oct. 5, 1897.

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llNrrnD STATES WAn'roN DUANE sMIrI-I, or PRoPuETs'rowN, ILLINoisAssIeNoR or onn- I-IALF- To FRED L. ADAMS, or SAME PLAGE.

POINT-PROTECTOR FOR FLEXIBLE FAsrr- VNING-PMNs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 591,121, dated October` 5, 1897. Application filed February 3, 1896. Serial No. 577,860. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WALToN DUANE SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prophetstown, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Point-Protector for Flexible Fastening-Pins, of which` the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a newA and useful point-protector for flexible fastening-pins, suoli as the fasteningpins of pintickets or tags, paper-fasteners, and the like.

The main and primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient point-protector of the character noted that can be readily fitted to and disconnected from the points of flexible fastening-pins, such as are used for fastening tickets or tags to cloth materials, for fastening sheets of paper together, &c. 5 and to this end the invention contemplates an article of manufacture which shall provide simple and efficient means for completely protecting the pin-points of iiexible fastening-pins, so thatsuch pin-points cannot possibly lacerate the fingers, become entangled with other goods, or tear the goods or materials with which such points engage.

Vith these and other objects in view,which will readily appear as the nature of the insimilar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

vention is better understood,the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of an ordinary pin-ticket and a pin-point protector, illustrating the manner of applying the protector to the points of the fastening-pin of the ticket. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the pin-point protector applied to the fasteningpin of a pin-ticket, illustrating the protector unfolded previous to gumming the flap thereof over the` pin-points. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the pinpoint protector completely fastened or affixed to the pin-points. Fig. 4c is a detail sectional view ou the line 4L 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the pinpoint protector as applied to an ordinary paper-fastener. Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the point-protector as made in of several paper-fasteners arranged in a continuous row or line. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating the continuous-strip pinpoint protector as applied to a row of paperfasteners constructed with normallyseparated pins. Fig. 9 `is a detail in perspective of the pin-point protector. Fig. 10 is a similar view of the protector modified for use in connection with a single paper-fastener of the construction illustrated in Fig. 6. Figs` 11 and 12 are details in perspective of the continuous-strip point-protectors illustrated, respectively, in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view onthe same line of section as Fig. @illustratingthe pin-point protector folded in position for withdrawal from the pin-points. Y i

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral l designates a pin-point protector essentially consisting of a flexible protectorbody 2, made of paper or other suitable flexible material and provided at one side edge with an imperforate foldable flap portion 3. The protector-body 2 and its foldable imperforate fiap portion 3 are of the same size and shape, so that when the flap portion 3 is folded over onto the body portion 2 the body portion and its flap will register` perfectly with each other and form a small compact device for the purposes specified.

The flexible protector-body 2 and its flap portion 3 are cut from'a single blank of ilexible material, which blank is creased longituf dinally, as at ,4, to form a flexible connection between the flap and the body 2, so that the said flap may be readily folded flat onto the body portion of the protector, and in the present invention the body portion 2 of the protector is provided therein with one or more pin-openings 5, and one side of the flap portion 3 is preferably provided with a gum or adhesive coating 6, which provides means for tightly gumming or sealing the flap fiat against one side of the body portion 2 of the' protector. While in most of the figures of the drawings the flap 3 only is provided with the'gum or adhesive coating 6, it will be ob-4 vious, as illustrated in Fig. 10 of the draw. ings, that one entire side of the blank forming the body portion 2 and the flap 3 may be a continuous strip and applied tothe points IOO provided with the gum or adhesive coating to positively insure the sealing together of the two parts of the protector.

The pin-point protector l,which is employed in connection with the ordinary flexible fastening-pin 7 of the ordinary tickets or tags 8, is provided with a pair of the pin-openings 5 to receive the separate prongs of the pin 7, and in applying this form of the point-protector to the points of the pin 7 by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be understood that the points of the pin 7 are first inserted through the material in the usual manner, and then the protector-body is adjusted on the pin-points by passing the pair of pinopenings 5 over the separate prongs or points of the pin. In this position the body portion 2 of the protector will rest flat against the opposite side of the material from that through which the fastening-pin was inserted, and it is then simply necessary to bend back the points of the fasteningpin in the usual man# ner, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, after which the gum coating on the flap 3 is moistened and such' flap is folded over onto the bent pin-points and the body of the protector. When the gum coating has dried, the Iiap 3 will be firmly sealed or gummed to the body portion of the protector and will completely cover and protect the points of the fastening-pin, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. When it is desired to remove the ticket S, the opposite ends of the sealed point-protector are folded toward each other, as illustrated in Fig. 13 of the drawings, which doubling up of the protector brings the points of the pin to a substantially parallel position, so that the point-protector can be readily removed from the pin and the latter withdrawn through the material through which it was passed.

When the pin-point protector is used in connection with an ordinary paper-fastener 9, the protector-body2 is provided with asingle pin-opening 5; but otherwise the method of applying and removing the protector is substantially the same as already described, and

should it be desired to use the protector in connection with a series of the fasteners 9, arranged in a row, the protector is made in a long continuous strip having the pin-open ings spaced the same distance apart as the l paper-fasteners, as clearly illustrated in Fig.

7, and in Fig. 8 the protector is illustrated as being made in a single continuous long strip having separated pairs of the pin-openings 5, for use in connection with paper-fasteners l0, of that form having normally-separated pins or prongs similar to the ticket-pins 7, previously referred to.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, use, and many advantages of the herein-described pin-point protector will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. As an article of manufacture, a pointprotector for flexible fastening-pins comprising a flexible body adapted to be strung on the pin-points and provided with an integral ap arranged to be folded over the pin-points, and means for sealing together the body portion and flap, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pointprotector for flexible fastening-pins comprising a flexible body portion provided with a pin-opening therein, and an integra-l imperforate sealing-flap arranged to be folded over the pin-points, and means forsealing together the body portion and flap, substantially as set forth.

3. As an article of manufacture, a pointprotector for flexible fastening-pins comprising a flexible paper body portion having one c or more pin-openings therein, and a foldable imperforate integral flap portion of the same size and shape as said body portion, said flap.

` portion being provided at one side with a gum coating and adapted to be folded over to conceal the body portion and sealed to one side of the latter over the pin-points, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTON DUANE SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. L. ADAMS, GEO. E. PADDocK.

IOO 

